Vanderbilt University Top Questions

Best place on earth...honestly. The people are great, most professors are awesome, the campus is beautiful, and it is in the greatest city. Couldn't have asked for a greater college to go to.

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Overall, Vanderbilt is an amazing experience; however, there are some negative aspects. First and foremost, I would change the relation of Vanderbilt University to the Nashville Community. There is something called the "Vandy Bubble". Basically, this means that students tend not to venture far from campus. Most individuals spend nearly all their time on campus or at surrounding restaurants. Nashville is definitely a college town in an urban environment, and I feel it provides students with the best of both worlds. The size of the school, in my opinion, is just right. It is small enough that you will more than likely see people you know while walking across campus, but large enough to always be able to meet new people (though more than likely you will have a few mutual friends).

Vanderbilt is an exciting place to be. More so than any other school I know of, Vanderbilt has countless social outlets. Whether you prefer Greek life, the bar scene, student organizations, sports events, or live music, Nashville has something for everyone. That being said, the most common complaint heard on campus is that often, Vanderbilt students have too much going on. The academics are rigorous and many students struggle to balance their courses in combination with leadership roles and leisure time. Beyond the workload, the diverse student body has different takes on Vandy. Some students complain that Greek life dominates the social scene, while others wish that fraternities and sororities had a larger presence on campus. Many students feel that Vanderbilt is lacking on school spirit, but as a New Yorker unfamiliar with the SEC, I am always impressed by the turnout for football and basketball games. Unlike many other urban universities, Vanderbilt has a spacious, green campus. My conclusion is that Vanderbilt blends aspects of a large Southern school with that of urban New England college. The combination results in a school that may not epitomize a certain personality, but has enough attributes to make anyone comfortable.

Overall, Vanderbilt is an amazing experience; however, there are some critical points that need to be made. First and foremost, I would change the relation of Vanderbilt University to the Nashville Community. There is something called the "Vandy Bubble". Basically, this means that students tend not to venture far from campus. Consequently, students miss out on a lot of unique Nashville experiences. Most individuals spend nearly all their time on campus or at surrounding restaurants. Nashville is definitely a college town in an urban environment, and I feel it provides students with the best of both worlds. The administration can cause a bit of controversy with their choice in investments, both internal and external. Certain student organizations receive favoritism in funding. Additionally, the Vanderbilt Student Government is considered ineffective and of minimal importance. The size of the school, in my opinion, is just right. It is small enough that you will more than likely see people you know while walking across campus, but large enough to always be able to meet new people (though more than likely you will have a few mutual friends). Tailgating is a fundamental experience within Vanderbilt. The fraternities have loud music playing and it is a giant day party. Most people do not end up going to the football games (though this may change as our team improves). It is definitely one of the most fun experiences, and it needs to be experienced in person to fully understand.

I could not be happier that I chose to attend Vanderbilt. The first time I visited, I fell in love with the campus. The abundant trees and impressive buildings create a collegiate, secure and inviting atmosphere that made me want to call it my home. Students are not only intelligent, but are also very friendly and welcoming. The freshmen dorms, The Commons, provide a wonderful first year experience with spacious rooms and an atmosphere created solely for freshmen to help with the transition. With around 6,000 undergrad students, the school is small enough to matter as more than just a number and not be swallowed up but not too small - you will constantly be meeting new people. I love that the majority of students live balanced lives and focus heavily on academics while also wanting to have fun with friends. Nashville is a great city in which to live. When students venture out of the Vandy "bubble" into Nashville they are exposed to a wonderful music scene, great restaurants and shopping, and can experience the friendly and unique Southern culture.

Vanderbilt is a top 20 school and comes with everything you would expect from a college with that reputation. Everything about the school is fantastic. The housing is great, the campus is beautiful, the food is ranked the best in the country, the courses are challenging but excellent, the professors are interactive, and the staff of the university is very helpful. The freshman move-in day alone is one of the greatest programs at the university. Freshmen are welcomed immediately by the upperclassmen and are quickly oriented into college life. I honestly can't think of anything I would change. Campus is situated in downtown Nashville, only minutes away from the clubs and nightlife spots, but is completely secluded from traffic and city noise. There are 6,600 undergrads, which is enough to have a huge diversity in the student body and provide plenty of opportunities to get involved with organizations, but not large enough to get lost in the masses. There are always new people to meet, but I never go anywhere without seeing someone I know. One complaint that some people would have is regarding the administration. The administration is extremely liberal and secular and confines religious life to a small bubble of freedom. However, the administration is only a small part of the college experience. I am confident that there is nowhere else that I would rather be and I know that many of my colleagues would say the same.

If you are entering your Freshman year, Vanderbilt is THE place to go. I transferred in, and I know that Freshmen are treated as kings and queens. They get gigantic houses and have their own campus to hang out at. Everyone loves Freshmen. It is a fantastic school to come to if you want to "trade up" to a higher school. I transferred in and am pleased overall. Furthermore, people are always wowed when you say you go to Vanderbilt. If they know what it is, they will value it like Harvard.

Vanderbilt is an academic school, and that is a good thing. If you need to study, as you certainly will, you can do that without be interrupted. There are a multitude of great study nooks all around the campus. That being said, Vanderbilt isn;t just about academics. It's a vibrant living and learning community. With a thriving Greek scene, there is never a shortage of things to do on the weekends. There are also a huge number of diverse student organization that you can join. There is something for everyone here that will make them feel like they are connected to the community. My favorite thing about Vanderbilt though, is all the people I have met. I absolutely enjoy every professor I have had so far and the guys on my floor have become a second family. I've had dinner at Dean Wcislo's several times now and have enjoyed talking to him every time. There are constant opportunities to interact with various faculty members through guest lectures and dinner discussions. The students are friendly and intelligent. Vanderbilt isn't too big either, so you don't feel like you are just lost in the crowd of new students. It really feels like I'm connected and impacting the collegiate community here, and that is a very special thing.

The best thing about Vanderbilt is Campus lIfe. Vanderbilt tries very hard to make campus the center of a students life and it works. There is a "bubble" that extends around Vanderbilt limiting students interaction with Nashville. Most people go within a few miles of campus and come back. On Tuesdays and Thursdays when Vandy kids go downtown the bars are exclusively Vandy. There are a TON of dining options right off campus so there's very little interaction with actual Nashville unless you have a car. The school size is perfect, not too many people but not to few. When you walk into a class you will see familiar faces and people you've never seen before too. The geographic diversity is great, you get a sense of each regions differences and similarities very quickly. People generally respond favorably to Vanderbilt. In the north a lot of people, if they don't know about colleges, won't have a reaction. However those who know (aka the people who actually matter) know it's an amazing school only getting better by the year. In the south many people have an image of extremely wealthy and intelligent students. Eliciting positive and negative reactions Most of you time on campus is spent in a friends room, in the dining hall, or just sitting on the lawn. Nashville is a college town but it isnt exclusive to Vanderbilt. Nashville being a fairly large city has a range of options perfect for students, but Nashville isnt Vanderbilt and vice versa. For example Umich is Ann Arbor and vice versa. There isn't much controversy besides some inflammatory articles written in the Hustler. Usually over legalizing a drug or feelings toward alcohol consumption. There is a lot of pride but it isnt shown at the games because students are generally too busy partying or having a good time. Most frequent complaint is Parking